Let Love In: Oliver's Story
by cajungirlkye
Summary: The events of my previous story, "Let Love In" told from Oliver's PoV.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: The characters still don't belong to me. If they did, we would've had a happy ending for ShOliver MONTHS ago. :D

* * *

That was it. Oliver's marriage to Holly was officially ending.

He had realized while dancing with Holly that he would rather be dancing with Shane. He supposed he should feel guilty about that fact; however, he knew deep down in his heart and soul that he and Holly were and would always be dancing to two different tempos - her to the fast-paced beat of Paris and him to the slow and steady rhythm of Denver.

After leaving the Mailbox Grille, he went by the DLO in order to think, expecting to be alone. Instead he was greeted by Norman and Rita, the latter who told him that Shane had cleared out her desk and left a letter for him. Upon opening the letter addressed to Mr. O'Toole he began to panic. In the letter Shane stated that she felt it necessary to submit her resignation, and thanked him for her time in the Dead Letter Office.

He asked Rita if Shane had said anything before she left. "Actually, yeah," Rita replied. "She told Norman and me not to let 'nothing' happen between us. She looked really upset."

 _Oh no,_ Oliver thought.

Knowing Shane's tendency to wander about the city when she was upset, he rushed to her home to wait for her. On a whim, he also bought a swing just like the one Shane had mentioned having as a child and wanting to have someone to sit and swing with her, and installed in on her porch.

He had an entire speech planned out by the time Shane had arrived home, but promptly forgot it when he saw the heartbroken look on her face. He informed her he wasn't going to let her quit ("we need you," he had said, although what he really meant was **_I need you_** ), and also that he and Holly had decided to end their marriage.

He wanted to kiss away her tears when her face flooded with relief at the news, but instead he and Shane had sat on her new swing and watched the sunset in silence. Oliver felt more at peace in that moment than he had in years. He silently thanked God for sending Shane to him so he could get closure with Holly.

* * *

He wanted to wait until after his divorce was final before pursuing Shane (Oliver had stopped calling her Miss McInerney in his head sometime during their dance classes together, although he still called her that out loud) since not only did he need time to heal, but he didn't want Shane to feel like she was just a replacement for his ex-wife.

Oliver spent the next couple of months after that reflecting and praying for guidance. For the first month he would find himself watching Shane, and rather than be caught staring he would quickly find something else to look at when she would look in his direction. Eventually though, he found himself keeping eye contact for a few moments before looking away, and his heart would constrict when Shane would give him a small smile back.

One Friday afternoon the POstables had just wrapped up their latest dead letter mystery and were getting ready to call it a week.

Norman and Rita had recently cemented their relationship and Shane was asking Rita about weekend plans as Oliver looked on. He suspected that Shane had had a hand in moving Norman and Rita along, although he never commented on or asked about it.

He didn't notice Norman and Rita leave for the weekend and Shane turn back towards him until she was looking at him quizzically. "What?" she asked.

Oliver decided he had waited long enough and was finally ready to move on with his life.

He reached a hand out to Shane. "Miss McInerney, would you like to accompany me to dinner this evening?"

Shane's face lit up in a smile. "Why, I would love to, Mr. O'Toole."

Oliver's heart leaped, then plummeted when Shane squeezed his hand before grabbing her purse. "The Mailbox Grille shouldn't be too busy at this time of day," she said. The POstables frequently went to the Mailbox Grille to 'unwind' after a more in-depth case, although normally all four members of their team went unless a situation arose where one or more could not make it.

Oliver could feel his cheeks heating up as he tried to rectify Shane's error of assuming a casual dinner. "Er, actually, I was thinking of something a little more...formal for tonight. Italian, perhaps? There's this quaint little place near Washington Park that I have been meaning to try. I hear their gnocchi is fantastic."

The truth was that he had wanted to go there for months, but was delaying dining there until he could take Shane. He felt that it was a place Shane would appreciate, and wanted to share the experience with her.

Shane looked at Oliver quizzically. "Oliver, are you... are you asking me on a date?"

Oliver took a deep breath before answering. "Well, if you consider two people who enjoy each other's company eating dinner together in a formal setting a date, then, well... yes, I suppose I am." Seeing a slightly odd look on her face, he quickly continued, "but if that in any way makes you uncomfortable..."

He was relieved when Shane shook her head. "No, no. I'm not uncomfortable at all, I just... Italian sounds great."

Oliver grinned. He thought Shane was even more beautiful when flustered. "Shall I pick you up at 7 then?"

Shane nodded. "That sounds perfect."

"Until then, Miss McInerney."

As soon as Shane left, Oliver checked his watch. He had just enough time to stop by the flower shop to pick up some flowers for Shane, then go home and get showered and changed. He phoned the restaurant to make a reservation, then hurried to get to the flower shop before they closed.

He made it with just a few minutes to spare, and upon realizing that he had no idea what Shane's favorite flowers were and after being asked a few questions by the clerk, chose a simple bouquet of white roses. "For new beginnings," the clerk had told him. "They symbolize hope for the future." _How appropriate,_ Oliver thought. He thanked the clerk, who wished him good luck.

When he arrived home, he stuck the flowers in water so they wouldn't start to wilt, then quickly took a shower. He chose a blue suit and tie over a lighter blue dress shirt since he had worn a dark grey suit to work earlier that day, and quickly dressed and styled his hair into its usual style.

 _Lord, guide me,_ he prayed on the way to Shane's house. He couldn't recall having ever been so nervous about a date before. Once he arrived, he grabbed the roses that he had bought and walked up her steps. He stood nervously in front of her door for a few moments.

 _Boldness be my friend,_ he thought. He rang the doorbell.


	2. Chapter 2

When the door opened Oliver opened his mouth to greet Shane but instead was stunned into silence. He thought Shane looked radiant in the blue dress she was wearing. Oliver had seen her dressed up, of course, but this time he could truly and freely appreciate her beauty."Um, hello Oliver," Shane said, which made Oliver's brain come back online.

"Good evening, Miss McInerney. I must say, you look... uh..." Oliver thought there were no words in the English language that could express her loveliness, but he wound up settling on "exquisite." He realized that he was still holding the bouquet of white roses he had bought, and held them out to Shane. "These are for you."

"Thank you," Shane replied, taking the roses. "You look fantastic too." "Would you like to come in while I put these in some water?" she asked.

Oliver just nodded as he stepped inside.

"I'll be just one second," Shane said as she walked into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home."

Oliver sat on her sofa. He noticed a book on her coffee table with historic photographs and was mindlessly thumbing through it when Shane returned into the living room. "Ready?" she asked.

"Why, yes. Shall we?" Oliver replied, standing and extending his arm. Shane took it and they walked out into the night together.

Oliver gave his name when they arrived at the restaurant and they were seated at a mostly private table near the window. He smiled when he noticed Shane checking out the decor. It was lovely, and felt very...comfortable, almost homey.

Oliver felt himself relax as dinner went on. Conversation never felt forced, and the few times there was silence it was comfortable. On the way back to Shane's house they struck up a conversation about their latest postal mystery. "I still can't believe you chased after that duck," Shane giggled while Oliver was walking her to her door.

"That duck was committing postal theft, Miss McInerney," Oliver replied teasingly.

"Oh, so what, you were going to turn it into the police had it not dropped the letter and escaped?" Shane was tearing up from laughter.

Oliver could no longer keep a straight face. "Well, I will say that no one can say our jobs are dull."

They reached Shane's steps and Oliver hesitated before telling her good night.

Shane stepped onto her porch. "Oliver... would you like to stay for a while? It's not too cold to sit on the swing."

Oliver didn't even hesitate. "I'd be delighted." He joined Shane on the swing.

"I wonder how dinner with Norman's parents went tonight," Shane mused.

"I don't believe you have anything to worry about," Oliver said teasingly. "Although that insatiable curiosity of yours is probably dying to know." _And is one of the things that both frustrates me and I find wonderful about you,_ he thought.

"Hey, this was their first dinner with Norman's parents as an actual couple, of course I'm curious!" Shane said, nudging Oliver with her shoulder.

Oliver chuckled. "I find that there's something… wholesome in Rita and Norman's relationship, don't you?" He glanced at Shane before continuing. "One might certainly aspire to achieve the level of… mutual respect they have for each other." _Did she understand what he was secretly trying to convey?_

"They're very sweet," Shane agreed.

Oliver decided that it was time to make his move. He stood and extended his hand to Shane. "Would you like to dance with me?"

He had been wanting to dance with Shane again ever since that last night with Holly, so his heart swelled when Shane replied, "of course." She pulled her tablet out of her purse and started playing the song they had chosen for the showcase. She still has 'our' song, he thought.

Dancing with Shane again brought back so many wonderful memories of them dancing together, but also brought back the memory of his last dinner with Holly and sitting with Shane afterwards. "Thank you," he said.

Shane looked at him. "Thank you? For what?"

"For not asking me about my last evening with Holly."

Shane looked at him with pity. "Oliver, you don't have to explain anything to me..."

 _A heart to love, and in that heart, Courage, to make love known,_ Oliver thought. "Please, just let me say this. The night of the showcase, when we were supposed to dance together... that was to be Holly's and my anniversary. "

"Oh, Oliver... I completely understand why you couldn't participate. It must've been so painful to even think about dancing with someone other than her on your anniversary."

Oliver called upon every ounce of courage that he had. "Actually, it was quite the opposite," he murmured into Shane's ear, and felt her slightly stiffen in his arms.

"What do you mean?" she whispered.

"Our last practice... I found myself with these emotions that I thought were completely inappropriate to have at the time. It would have been my anniversary with Holly, but all I wanted to do was dance with you. I felt..." No, that's definitely not right. "Feel... drawn to you, Shane. At the time I was conflicted, but after reflecting and praying for months, my feelings for you have not changed." There. He had bared his soul.

They had come to the point in the dance where Oliver was to dip Shane. As with each other time he had danced with Shane, Oliver could feel the familiar spark between them. This time, however, there was nothing holding him back from nourishing that spark, and so he did not pull away as he had in the past.

"You called me Shane," Shane said breathlessly.

 _She noticed._ "Yes, I did, Shane." Oliver could feel her breath mingling with his own. He leaned in slightly.

He could hear Shane murmur his name right before their lips connected. The spark ignited into a full-fledged fire. He wanted to stay and kiss Shane all night.

The thought slightly alarmed him - to go any further would be both inappropriate and ungentlemanly of him, and so he pulled away. "It's getting late, I probably should be going," he said. "Good night."

He had just walked down Shane's steps when he heard her voice behind him. "Thank you for tonight, Oliver," she said. "I had a wonderful time."

He turned around. Shane stood on her porch, her cheeks slightly reddened - from the cold or their kiss Oliver didn't know, but he was tempted to go back and kiss her again to find out. Instead he smiled warmly at her. "As did I. I'll see you on Monday, Shane." And hopefully every day after.

"See you on Monday, Oliver."


End file.
